Author Kamel Daoud and Wife Sentenced to Prison in Algeria
The couple received five-year prison terms in absentia following allegations regarding the unauthorized use of a patient's medical history in a novel.
A court in Oran, Algeria, sentenced award-winning author Kamel Daoud and his wife, psychiatrist Aïcha Dahdouh, to five years in prison on November 10. The proceedings were held in absentia, as both individuals currently reside in France. In addition to the prison sentences, the court imposed a fine of 300,000 dinars—approximately 2,000 euros—on each defendant.
The legal action stems from a complaint filed by Saâda Arbane, a 32-year-old survivor of violence during the Algerian Civil War. Arbane alleged that the couple violated professional confidentiality, committed theft of medical records, and infringed upon her privacy. She claims that her personal trauma was exploited by Daoud for his 2024 Goncourt Prize-winning novel, "Houris," without her consent. Arbane maintains that the specific details of her experience were known only to her psychiatrist, Dahdouh.
The court confirmed an international arrest warrant for the couple, though these legal measures remain unenforceable while they reside outside of Algeria. This is not the first time Daoud has faced legal challenges in his home country. In April, he was sentenced to three years in prison and fined for a separate complaint brought by the National Association of Victims of Terrorism in Algeria, a ruling he also received in absentia.
Dahdouh has consistently denied the accusations, asserting that she did not disclose medical secrets or misappropriate any files. In a recent statement, she emphasized that she does not share her husband's views regarding Algerian politics, Islam, or the situation in Palestine. Furthermore, Dahdouh has publicly announced her intention to divorce the author, stating that she feels compelled to speak out to ensure her own perspective is heard independently of her husband's public profile.
The legal battle has spanned multiple jurisdictions. In September, a court in Paris acquitted Daoud in a separate defamation case brought by Arbane concerning an interview he gave to the French newspaper Le Figaro. The lawyer representing the plaintiff in the Algerian case, Aïcha Derar, welcomed the latest verdict, describing it as a recognition of the harm caused to her client.
Daoud, a prominent Franco-Algerian writer, has contested the allegations throughout the process, arguing that his work is literary and not a direct appropriation of private medical data. As the international arrest warrants remain active, the case continues to highlight the complex intersection of artistic expression, patient privacy, and the legal landscape in Algeria.